Default search engine for private browsing (Mozilla Firefox Group Policy)

What it does

If this policy is enabled, the named search engine is used as the default in private browsing windows. The name must match an available search engine exactly. If this policy is disabled or not configured, private browsing windows use the same default search engine as normal windows.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key: Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\SearchEngines

Options

Option	Type	Registry value	Allowed values
Default search engine for private browsingRequired	Text	`DefaultPrivate`	Up to 255 characters

Configure and deploy

Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

Fix the highlighted options to generate output.

History 93 retained releases

8.413 Oct 2026
- Added in this release.

Template

Internal name: SearchEngines_DefaultPrivate
Namespace: Mozilla.Policies.Firefox
Template file: firefox.admx
Release: Mozilla Firefox 8.4 · file set a495190075c2a974…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.SearchEngines_DefaultPrivate)" explainText="$(string.SearchEngines_DefaultPrivate_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\SearchEngines" name="SearchEngines_DefaultPrivate" presentation="$(presentation.SearchEngines_DefaultPrivate)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:Search" />
      <supportedOn ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:SUPPORTED_FF71" />
      <elements>
        <text id="SearchEngines_DefaultPrivate" required="true" valueName="DefaultPrivate" />
      </elements>
    </policy>

Editor controls

<presentation id="SearchEngines_DefaultPrivate" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <textBox refId="SearchEngines_DefaultPrivate">
          <label />
        </textBox>
      </presentation>

Supported platforms and category

Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:Search
<category displayName="$(string.Search_group)" name="Search" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox" />
    </category>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:firefox
<category displayName="$(string.firefox)" name="firefox" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies:Cat_Mozilla" />
    </category>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:definition:SUPPORTED_FF71
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_FF71)" name="SUPPORTED_FF71" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Mozilla.Policies:category:Cat_Mozilla
<category displayName="$(string.mozilla)" name="Cat_Mozilla" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:Search
<category displayName="$(string.Search_group)" name="Search" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:Search_group">Search</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:firefox
<category displayName="$(string.firefox)" name="firefox" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies:Cat_Mozilla" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox">Firefox</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:definition:SUPPORTED_FF71
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_FF71)" name="SUPPORTED_FF71" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:SUPPORTED_FF71">Firefox 71 or later, Firefox 68.3 ESR or later</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies:category:Cat_Mozilla
<category displayName="$(string.mozilla)" name="Cat_Mozilla" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies:mozilla">Mozilla</string></strings>